Bradwell Windmill

A stubby brick tower rising from flat Buckinghamshire fields near Milton Keynes - that's Bradwell Windmill. It's a proper 18th-century corn mill, squat and workmanlike rather than the romantic postcard sort you might expect. The thing actually ground grain here for generations, though nowadays it stands silent and you'll be viewing it from the outside.

The real appeal lies in the walk to reach it. The mill sits amid open countryside that feels a world away from Milton Keynes sprawl, and there's something oddly satisfying about stumbling across a piece of agricultural heritage in what's largely suburban territory. You won't spend hours here - it's the kind of spot where you appreciate it for five minutes, photograph it if you're that way inclined, then head off across the fields.

Walkers get the most from this one. It works well as a waypoint on a longer ramble across the Buckinghamshire countryside rather than a destination in itself. History types might find the industrial story interesting enough. Kids will probably find it a bit underwhelming unless you make the journey part of a broader outdoor adventure.

If you're staying at Ekeney House Campsite six miles away, it's worth incorporating into a countryside walk, but don't detour specially. The structure itself is closed to the public, so you're limited to external viewing. Spring and summer are best - the fields are green and the walk's far more pleasant than tramping through mud in November.